Therapy

Dynamic Therapy Sessions with Jonathan Brower

ORIGINS

Developed by Habib Davanloo, MD in the 1960's, the theory and technique of Intensive Short Term Dynamic Psychotherapy (ISTDP) have been refined and elaborated by later generations of his students around the world. ISTDP has been widely researched and demonstrated with a variety of disorders. All ISTDP therapists understand that a patient's problems result from defenses that arise in response to the anxiety that is coupled with unconscious feeling. The goal of therapy is to help the patient develop the ability to attend to internal experiences in order to regulate anxiety and give up maladaptive defenses. This allows unconscious emotions to emerge, become integrated, and pave the way for consistent unfettered access to motivational feelings.

Highly active, incisive and compassionate therapeutic techniques, built upon a foundation of psycho-dynamic theory and neuroscience, are the hallmarks of Intensive Short Term Dynamic Psychotherapy. This foundation informs the ISTDP therapist's ongoing analysis of the patient's capacity to bear unconscious feelings and anxiety. It also equips the therapist to pinpoint defenses and resistance that block the patient from essential core effective experiences. The therapist's continuous assessment ensures a flow of timely, accurate, non-interpretive interventions. This attuned and engaged therapeutic stance creates a robust alliance with the patient for the relinquishment of symptom-producing defenses and the embrace of emotions. Precise assessment of the moment-to-moment responses of the patient enables the therapist to achieve symptom relief and character change in less time than traditional psycho-dynamic psychotherapy.

Your treatment with Jonathan is based on Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy, which is a moment-to-moment dialogue as well as nonverbal communication and awareness of feelings. Together you will discover the symptoms, causes, and answers to resolve your anxiety and/or depression. Appointments are available for individuals and couples, and every session is fully customized to get your life back on track.

Your first session with me helps you become aware of the symptoms associated with your anxiety and/or depression. You will start to recognize the walls you put up to push down the emotions and feelings you are afraid to face. During this time, you will know more about the process of your anxiety and the causes of your depression. Important feelings and memories may also begin to surface. To fully experience these benefits, generally three hours are optimal for this initial session.

The following sessions range from ninety minutes to three hours. Optimally, ninety minutes or more are necessary to make significant progress with each session. For clients traveling a considerable distance (one hundred miles or more), it is common to schedule three one-hour sessions over two consecutive days. Many of my Patients will schedule their first session in the afternoon of the first day and then the second session in the morning of the second day and the third session in the afternoon. Typically this is done one to two times per month. However, the time sequence can be longer or shorter depending on your preference.

All sessions are by appointment only. Call 818-707-4557 to learn more.